


The Champions Revived

by EmeraldOnix7



Series: Ghost Link BotW AU [1]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Champions lived, Dead Link (Legend of Zelda), Gen, Ghosts, Relationships May Change, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-06 18:21:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,767
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26483353
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmeraldOnix7/pseuds/EmeraldOnix7
Summary: 100 years ago, the Calamity raged on. In another tale perhaps, those who died would have had a different story to tell. But... Just a few minutes can change who lives and dies. With Link dead from the beginning, the champions will have to be there to pick up the piecesThere's no Master Sword, no Hylian Shield. But, perhaps they can find a new ally to help along the way.This is part of an AU I have where Link is one of those ghosts instead of the Champions. It connects with others in this series I have and it will reference it. It's mostly in the pov of the Champions, but sometimes Link will get a spotlight.
Series: Ghost Link BotW AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1398544
Comments: 4
Kudos: 53





	1. Overture of Awakening

" _Open your eyes_." A voice, melancholy and calm sounded in his head. 

She became aware of his surroundings- the roar of water her ears, the feeling of being submerged in a cold liquid, the foggy, almost dizzy feeling as blue light entered her vision. The Gerudo warrior stumbled out of a now-empty pool, disoriented by her sudden access to her senses. And looking around, she wasn’t the only one who was like her. While she was the first out of the pool, she wasn’t the only one in there. Three others slowly rose to their feet, dazed with a far-off expression. 

The first to wake up was a girl shorter than her with glossy red skin and a tail-like appendage in the place of hair. She had webbed hands and feet with razor-sharp claws, fins at the end of her elbows, and shark-like teeth that ground together as she tried to piece together the many confusing aspects of how she ended up there. Still, despite her somewhat savage-looking features, she was graceful and serene. _Vai_

The next to emerge from the pool was a large bird with bright white and blue feathers covering his body. Though he had a beak and feathers, he didn’t have wings-not in the normal sense. His plumed hands brushed his head. It was clear to the Gerudo that he was having a difficult time processing his surroundings. _Voe_

The final one out of the pool was a large, well-chiseled man with yellow skin and bright white hair. He had short legs, but a large upper body. The well-chiseled description seemed apt as he looked as if he had been carved from a boulder, especially looking at his craggy back. His bright blue eyes scanned the room as if he were looking for something. _Voe_

There was a tug at her mind, something telling her that these people were important, but she couldn’t recall anything. Not her name, not ner identity, not even her appearance, and judging by everyone’s suddenly sharp gazes and panicked stances, nobody else seemed to know either.

“ _My friends._ ” The voice was back, and everyone seemed to hear it. “ _Please stand at the podium.”_

The Gerudo took the lead and walked to the bright blue podium at the end of the room. A light mechanical sound echoed through the ornate, technological-looking cave the group found themselves trapped in, then a small rectangular device flipped around and presented itself to the Gerudo. It had bright blue and orange lights with an eye pattern that fit easily in her hands.

“ _That is a Shiekah Slate. Take it. It will help to guide you all after your long slumbers_.”

The device turned on briefly as if responding to her touch. The door at the end of the room opened, revealing another hallway with blue lights. 

She gestured toward the door with her eyes, beckoning the others without speaking. The room was damp, slightly chilly, and as littered with worn-out treasure chests. Each person stood at a chest and opened one, receiving an article of clothing for their efforts. Though it wasn’t always for them as the rock man and the bird had to switch their findings. Still, the chill was gone as she put something on over the clothes she woke up in.

Another glowing pedestal stood at the end of the hall, with orange lights this time. 

“ _Hold the Shiekah Slate up to the pedestal. It will show you the way,”_ the voice claimed with a bit of confidence.

The Gerudo did as she was told. The lights changed colors from orange to blue and a loud chime echoed through the room. 

“ _Authenticating.”_ A separate voice droned. There was a pause before a blue light appeared on the door in front of them. “ _Shiekah Slate confirmed._ ” The door opened slowly, filling the room with natural lights from the outside world. 

Each person winced and covered their faces as their eyes adjusted. 

“ _Urbosa, Revali, Mipha, Daruk. You are the keys to our future. Go out and help Hyrule once more. Now go.”_

The Gerudo felt a tug at her memory once again. This time, she was given a shred of her identity. She and the others in the cave now had their names, though they would determine which one was theirs later. In the meantime, the four of them silently moved out of the cave and out to the field. They felt the wind on their skin and the overgrown grass tickle their ankles. 

For the first time since they woke up, the Gerudo heard one of her companions speak. 

“Whoa,” the fish girl murmured. The rock man made a similar remark and the Gerudo wouldn’t have been surprised if she did as well. The world around her expanded suddenly, with towering mountains, a castle, tall trees, and a volcano in the distance all being things of note. 

Out of the corner of her visions, she saw another person. This person was an elderly man. He wore a brown cloak and carried a lantern on the end of a staff. He walked to a campfire down the hill. _Voe_

“We should go talk with him,” the Gerudo said, a bit surprised by the sound of her voice. “There’s a man down there.” Her voice was low and assertive. 

“Right. That would be a smart decision,” the fish girl said softly. 

“I do agree that we do need to talk with him, but I’m not sure I like your bossy attitude,” the bird scoffed. 

The rock man frowned. “She took charge because nobody else did. We were all focused on something else.”

The bird rolled his eyes and began to walk down the hill. Everyone else followed, picking up sticks, mushrooms, and apples as they walked. The man sat at the campfire, lantern by his side as he cooked a few apples over the crackling flames. He smiled warmly at the group. “My, it’s quite rare to see anyone else here, but four people?”

“Where are we?” the fish asked. 

“Ah, getting right to the point, I see.” The old man stood up and grabbed his staff. “I don’t see our meeting as a coincidence, so I shall tell you. This is the Great Platea. It is said that this plateau is Hyrule’s birthplace.” He pointed to a building in the distance. “That temple was once used for many sacred ceremonies, but since the decline of the kingdom one-hundred years ago, it has sat unused and abandoned.” He sighed and sat back down around the fire. “It is yet another forgotten entity, a ghost of its former self. I shall be here for a while so feel free to ask me if you need something.”

“How long have you been here?” the rock asked.

The old man frowned. “Far too long. Would you like an apple? I baked too many of them now, but they’re quite nutritious.” He glanced at the group. “And I also managed to find something you might find satisfying too,” he said, pointing at the rock man. The old man smiled. “You must be hungry, after all.” He moved a rock from his side to the rock man.

Thinking on it, the Gerudo did feel a little peckish. Seemingly, so did everyone else. But she wasn’t interested in whatever food he offered. “You know something that you aren’t telling us, don’t you?”

The man sighed. “I’m afraid I can’t answer right now, but I will at another point. For now, it would be best to eat and explore your surroundings, would it not?” The man’s voice, though soft and bitter, was dignified and commanding as well. 

The fish girl stepped up and took an apple. “Very well. Thank you for the food.” The Gerudo and the bird begrudgingly took an apple while the rock man grabbed the rock he was offered.

“Do not mention it. Now, seeing as you are together, why not chat as you take a walk. I shall be around if you need me.”

The four of them moved from the old man’s camp as they ate their food. “I don’t think we got anyone’s names,” the fish girl said with a frown. “I would tell you mine, but I’m not sure if it’s the right one.”

“Amnesia,” the Gerudo grumbled. “And we all seem to have it. What could this mean?”

The bird scoffed. “And you were right that he’s hiding something. Though I will admit that I don’t think it’s anything terrible.”

“Why don’t we say the name we think is ours? And if nobody claims the same name, it means we picked the right one,” the rock man suggested. He didn’t wait for anyone to shoot down his idea. “Out of all the names the voice mentioned, I think mine would have to be Daruk,” he said with a smile. He pumped his fists. “It fits me, but I’m not sure why.”

The fish girl paused from eating her apple. “I shall go next then. If any of the names we heard were to be mine, I would think it be Mipha.”

“Revali is mine,” the bird said with a smirk. “That leaves you as Urbosa.”

Urbosa nodded. “It was my name anyway. That’s the feeling I get.”

Mipha smiled. “It’s nice to meet you all. I hope we can all become good friends.”

As they were chatting, a voice rang through their heads again. “ _My friends,_ ” the voice called out once more. 

Revali frowned. “Just checking, but everyone can hear her voice, correct?”

Everyone nodded. The voice continued. “ _Head to the glowing point on the Sheikah Slate’s map You must hurry._ ”

“I’ll take the lead from here,” Revali insisted with a smirk. He took the slate from Urbosa and brought the map up. “Since I can fly, it’s only natural that you follow me.” He scanned the map and put the slate on his hip. He took a deep breath and lifted off the ground. Gusts of wind followed as he flew high into the air. 

The point on the map wasn’t far from where they emerged from the cave, but enemies blocked their paths. Armed with tree branches and an axe, the ground trio took on a red, pig-like enemy with horns. As if it were second nature to Urbosa, she snapped her finger at the unfortunate enemy. Lightning crackled and thunder boomed through the area as the bokoblin became nothing more than a horn on the ground. Its club lied a little further from what remained of it.

Urbosa felt exhilarated until she looked at the face of her companions. Mipha curled in recoil and Revali grounded himself. “I’m not sure where that power came from,” she said with a pause, “but I’ll be more mindful in the future. Are you scared of lightning, Mipha?”

Mipha, though tense, shook her head. “I-I don’t think so? I’m not sure, however.”

“I was flying,” Revali screeched. “Be more careful next time!”

Daruk stroked his beard. “There was that thing with Revali, and now Urbosa. Do you guys think we all have some sort of ability like that?” 

Mipha nodded. “I think you’re right, Daruk. I certainly don’t feel like I am unimportant. We’ll just watch and see.”

They continued forward. Revali took off back into the sky, leaving Urbosa, Daruk, and Mipha on the ground. 

Another group of bokoblins stood in their way. This time, Daruk led the charge against them. Armed with an axe, he swung himself into the enemies with a wide grin. They were baffled- unable to attack the mass swinging at them. They were blown back, though they didn’t die immediately.

Urbosa moved in with a bokoblin club. Her strikes were quick as if she were the lightning she was able to control. Though she managed to kill the enemies with ease, she found herself wishing that she had a blade.

The bodies of the bokoblins vanished in a puff of smoke, as all beasts spawned from Ganon’s power did, though they left horns and their weapons behind. Urbosa smiled and grabbed a short traveler’s sword from off the ground. Revali swooped back down and picked up a bow. 

“Didn’t even need my help, I see. I found the glowing point on the map,” he said with a smirk. “Just as expected, of course. You did well in your battle too,” he added. Instead of flying off once more, he led the group on foot. They went a few yards before Revali pointed to a glowing pedestal. The area was encased in rock but had a floor that was different from the dirt and rocks surrounding it.

Once everyone was standing near the pedestal, Revali slid the slate into the pedestal. It flipped around and made a whirring sound. 

“ _Sheikah Tower activated. Please watch for falling rocks.”_

The ground rumbled. Mipha and Revali lost their footing and stumbled back, but Daruk caught both of them and propped them back up. It didn’t last long, however. The tower shot into the sky, propelled by an unknown power. Everyone was knocked backward this time. 

Once the tower was stable, they got back up. “That was awful,” Revali grumbled.

“Agreed,” Urbosa said. Mipha gave a slight nod. 

“ _Distilling local information.”_

They moved back to the pedestal. A tune rang through the air, building up in tone before a drop of blue liquid splashed onto the slate. The screen came to life and displayed a map of the area. What was once a blue, featureless area with white borders now graphed mountains, displayed area names, and showed blue beacons of the cave and the tower. 

“ _Regional map extracted.”_

The podium popped the Shiekah Slate out, prompting Mipha to grab it this time. She put the slate at her hip and smiled at her companions. “We have a map now. This should be of great use.”

A voice rang through their heads once more. “ _Remember:”_

“Here she is again,” Revali said. “She always seems to chime in when we’ve completed a task. She’s likely to tell us to go somewhere else now. We’re going on a wild goose chase.”

“Be respectful,” Daruk scolded. “She’s probably trying to help us.”

Revali’s eyes twitched. “She’s being vague.”

“ _Try to remember.”_ She called. “ _You four have been asleep for the last one-hundred years.”_

“What?!” Revali screeched. 

Urbosa shushed him. “Let her finish if only so you can get the information you wanted.”

The champions looked over their surroundings. Their eyes fell on the castle far in the distance. Giant claw-like pillars surrounded it and a smoky, purple haze swirled around the building. Every so often, it almost seemed like a boar’s head was the face of that mist.

“ _The beast… when the beast regains its true power, this world will face its end.”_ The voice paused. “ _You must hurry, before its too late.”_ The voice grew silent once more.

“Was that enough information for you, Revali,” Urbosa asked with a frown. Her eyes didn’t leave the monster’s form. Just looking at it sent a chill up her spine.

“We should talk more about it on the ground,” Daruk suggested. “I’m not suited for the chill up here,” he said with a laugh. He carefully dropped down a hole, making a thud sound as he hit the metal below. Mipha and Urbosa decided to climb down manually, though they made sure to stop for breaks at each metal outcropping. Daruk rolled his way down, using the outcroppings as stairs instead. 

Despite leaving before Revali, he sat on the ground with his arms crossed. He faked a yawn as he saw Urbosa and Mipha come down from the tower. “I thought you decided to stay up there. Now, we should discuss what the voice mentioned. We’ve been asleep for one-hundred years.”

Urbosa nodded. “Indeed. It would seem that is the case.”

“The older gentleman mentioned something about how the kingdom fell one-hundred years ago too,” Mipha said with a frown. “I think something terrible must have happened to us.”

Daruk nodded. “That’s what my gut tells me, too.”

A voice called out to them once again, but this time it wasn’t a strange woman’s voice they heard. Floating down from the air, paraglider in hand, was the old man from earlier. He stopped in front of the champions. He chuckled slightly. “My, my. It would seem as if we have quite the enigma here. This tower and others like it have erupted from the ground, one after another. It’s as though... a long-dormant power has awoken quite suddenly.” He gripped the lantern and looked at Mipha. “If you do not mind me asking… did anything… odd occur while you were atop the tower?”

Mipha nodded. “Yes. We heard a voice, though we do not know its origins.”

The man’s expression turned bitter. “Ah. That is unfortunate. “ He faced the castle and while his hood covered his face slightly, it didn’t do much to hide his frustration. “I assume you caught sight of that atrocity surrounding the castle.”

“That great, big, pig thing, right? Yeah. It sure is an ugly sight,” Daruk said.

The man nodded. “That beast is Calamity Ganon,” he growled. “One-hundred years ago, that vile entity brought the kingdom of Hyrule to ruin. It appeared suddenly and destroyed everything in its path. So many innocent lives were lost in its wake. For a century, the very symbol of our kingdom, Hyrule Castle, has managed to contain that evil. But just barely.” The man’s hand clenched his lantern. “There it festers, building its strength for the moment it will unleash its blight upon the land once again. It appears that moment is fast approaching.”

“Ah. I see. It’s as I thought then,” Mipha muttered. “We must have been badly hurt when it was unleashed the first time. Am I correct in that assumption?”

The old man flinched. 

Revali nodded. “Makes sense. We suddenly wake up, no memories of who we were, and hear a voice in our heads telling us to do seemingly pointless things. You’re here on behalf of that girl who we hear in our heads, correct?”

“Additionally, you talk as if you have a personal stake in this- granted if this creature is as bad as you and the girl claim, everyone should have a stake in it. But by your mannerisms, it isn’t that simple, is it?” Urbosa asked. She put her hand on her hip. 

The old man looked to the ground. His form shimmered as blue lights swirled around him. “I suppose you’re too observant for me to keep up with this facade. Yes. A century ago, you four were nearly killed at the claws of Calamity Ganon. We were lucky that you received aid in time. Though it came at the cost of your memories.” His brown, ratty attire changed to a regal blue gown with a crown atop his head. “I wished to wait until later for this, but the four of you pieced it together before I had the chance to test you. In life, I was King Rhoam Bosphoramus Hyrule.”

“You died.” Mipha’s voice was soft, almost inaudible. 

The King nodded. “Yes. Though you figured that out earlier than I wanted, it changes nothing on what I shall have you do.” His form shimmered once more. He was dressed in the brown garb he wore before. “Though you cannot access the shrines, I would have you go to each of the four in this area and place the slate on each pedestal. It may prove useful later.”

Revali frowned. “And why can’t we access the shrines? We’re important enough to recover for a century, but not important enough to go into a building?”

Rhoam sighed. “I’m not sure that anyone can access those shrines anymore.” He tapped his staff against the stone. “Enough of that. I shall show you what the shrines look like, then teach you a good way of scoping the land. It wasn’t meant to be an order, but it is now.” He pinched the bridge of his nose and made his way to the edge of a lake. He pointed the staff at the strange, orange structure with a round base. “Go there, then press the slate to the pedestal. I will be there shortly.” Blue lights swirled around him, then his form vanished into the air.

“Whoops,” Daruk laughed. “That was pretty smart of you guys.”

“I did not mean to bring it up so soon, but the question weighed on my mind,” Mipha muttered. “It matters not though. We must do this, if only for that man who seems to trust us so much.” She stepped to the water’s edge and swam across. “I can either wait for you here, or I can proceed to scan the slate.”

“We can head over,” Urbosa insisted. “The King probably would have us do that anyway.”

It didn't take long for the others to join Mipha on the other side. Mipha beamed at the others as she sat on the shrine's platform. "Ah! Hello! We can scan the slate now!" She stood up and pressed the slate to the pedestal. The building's color changed from bright orange to a cool blue, though the top remained orange.

The door did not open. “ _Return with the Sheikah’s chosen,”_ a voice droned. The base of the shrine lit up and another blue triangle was added to the Sheikah Slate’s map.

“And likely, you won’t be able to gain access to these shrines.” The amnesiac champions shifted their attention to the King, who reappeared beside the shrine. “I will explain that part, and everything else later. For now, I want you to bring up your map.” He hovered next to Mipha and watched her slide her finger against the screen.

“I don’t see why we needed to come here if we can’t even enter the place,” Revali grumbled.

“Then pay attention. I’m aware patience wasn’t your strong suit, but there is a purpose in everything.”

Mipha showed the screen to King Rhoam once she pulled up the map. “What do I do now?”

Rhoam pointed at a glowing point on the map. “I want you and your friends to gather together and hold the slate together while one of you taps the location on the map.”

The group made an awkward huddle as each of them grabbed part of the slate. Mipha tapped the blue triangle representing the nearby tower and accepted the onscreen prompt. Suddenly, each of their bodies were broken into particles of light, moving into the air and vanishing from sight. 

They lost sensation for a brief moment, it was as if they blacked out. When they each came to, they were standing on the very top of the tower, huddled on the bright blue circle. King Rhoam waited for them by the edge.

Each champion backed away from each other, startled by the sudden teleportation. “What was that?” Urbosa asked under her breath.

“That felt really odd,” Daruk chimed in

King Rhoam chuckled. “You can teleport to places you’ve already been to. I encourage you to get used to that feeling. This brings me to my next task.” He beckoned the champions over to the edge of the tower and gestured toward the wilderness that stretched beyond them. “This is a good place to plot your course and to see what lies out there. My next task is for you to find three more shrines and activate them. Though I’m not sure it will be of use, it will be a good way for me to test your resolve and for you to get used to this lifestyle. If you find me in the field, feel free to talk to me. I may have something important for you.”

“And what if I fly off the plateau?” Revali plucked the strings absentmindedly. “I can do that, you realize.”

“You would leave the rest of your group? I don’t see you as being that kind of Rito.” King Rhoam shook his head. “No. You won’t fly off. Not since I have information about your old life. The same extends to the others. It seems like a wild goose chase, but I deem it important.:”

Urbosa nodded. “I understand. Though I don’t like it. It feels like a random set of tasks, but we’ll follow them.”

King Rhoam smiled. “Thank you. Now for the second part of my explanation. You can point your slate toward any point in the field and the slate will magnify it. From there, you can also put pins on your map that act as beacons. And with that, my explanation is finished. Feel free to explore the Great Plateau to your heart’s content.” The king vanished before their eyes.

After scanning the distance and putting beacons on the map, Mipha moved toward the hole to climb down from. She grimaced. “I don’t know that I want to climb down manually. My hands don’t seem suited to it,” Mipha muttered. “But that slate teleportation function is another oddity.” She moved closer to the group. “Did anyone want to get down via the slate?”

Revali scoffed. “I assume you weren’t talking to me, but I don’t think I’ll be using that feature too often anyway.”

“I’m ready this time! Now I know what it’s like, so I won’t be caught off guard.” Daruk flashed Mipha a wide grin and put a hand on the slate. “You coming, Urbosa?”

“Yeah. It’s easier than climbing.” She gripped the slate. “We’ll meet you at the shrine, Revali.”

Revali nodded and took off into the sky. Mipha pressed the screen to confirm the teleportation. Everyone was off the tower, in one way or another.

When Urbosa and the others came around, they were on the platform for the shrine. Revali had gotten there before them and was sitting smugly on top of the shrine. “I thought you would never make it.”

“Interesting, so there’s a delay in how long it takes to bring us here,” Urbosa muttered. 

Mipha turned the screen of the Shiekah Slate off and put it back on her hip. “It truly is a marvel of technology. Though I’m still not sure I can get used to how teleporting makes me feel. It does seem useful, however.”

“Where to first?” Daruk asked.

“I think we should find a place to take shelter, first and foremost,” Urbosa insisted, crossing her arms.

The sun was setting and the sky had a slight chill. Before long, the night would fall. “Why don’t we visit that campfire we first saw on our way here?” Mipha put her hands behind her back. “There’s a river there, so I can catch fish for a meal. Perhaps even find something better for us to use in combat.” 

They began to walk toward the campfire while they talked. 

“Sound good to me. I’ve been wanting to find something other than this axe. It’s too light. And I’ve noticed that none of us have anything we’re comfortable with.” He glanced toward Mipha. “So while Mipha gets something to eat, I’ll gather whatever weapons I can find, even if it means I have to fight something for them.”

Urbosa nodded. “I’ll keep the fire going. Revali, can you go into the forest and gather fruits and vegetables?”

Revali frowned. “I suppose I can if only so I can bring some real flavors to this meal. I swear, I was nearly going to march into those woods myself to find something to eat.” 

She smiled softly at the bird. “I’ll leave it to you then. We’ll eat well with you in charge. If you need help with anything, I’ll be there in an instant.”

Revali smirked. He plucked the string of the bow as he chuckled. “Me? Need help. You’re talking to a master archer,” he insisted. “I’ll be just fine, but if it makes you feel better, I’ll call you if there’s something you can do.” He padded toward the forest’s edge, ahead of everyone else.

Daruk laughed heartily. “A feast! It’s just what we needed to lift our spirits. The day’s been kind of confusing and dreary. I’ll make sure to find the best rock roast this place has to offer!” Daruk shouted. 

As they neared the campfire, Daruk and Mipha split off from the group to explore the cliffs and the immediate area surrounding the river. Ahead of them, Revali had flown to the forest and was scanning the trees for signs of life.

Urbosa made her way to the campfire and stoked the flames. They crackled and gave off a comforting heat. She couldn’t help but think of the blank spaces in her memory. A shiver went down her spine as she tried to recall anything, though nothing surfaced. She sighed. Perhaps, Urbosa thought, they would be able to figure everything out. 

There was no question in her mind that she would leave no stone unturned in her search for answers.


	2. A Campfire's Sonata

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The champions prepare to spend the first night after being unconscious for one-hundred years by cooking and gathering resources.

Mipha and Daruk moved to the water’s edge. “Do ya see any fish?” Daruk scanned the rippling, blue body of water. Green, scaly fish moved just below the surface, though the clarity of the water made it slightly more difficult to see.   
  


Mipha nodded. “Yes. There should be plenty for our meal.”

  
Daruk looked at the water, then at Mipha. “So, how are you gonna catch them? By hand?”

  
She giggled, then grabbed an apple that had fallen from the tree atop the hill. “While you can catch fish with your hands, they can also be lured closer with bait. Once you know what something likes, you can draw it closer to you.” She sliced the apple with her nails and carefully placed the apple slices into the water and watched it as they floated on the water. 

  
A curious fish drew closer to the bait and nibbled at the apple slice before it was scooped out of the water. “That’s impressive!” Daruk stared in awe as she did the same with another apple slice a little ways away from the other. 

  
“It’s muscle memory for me. I suppose I must have eaten a lot of fish.” She stared at the water before turning back to Daruk. “I’ve got it here. Don’t worry too much about me. Go ahead and try to find more weapons. I need to clean these fish anyway and it’s a rather bloody process.”

  
“Well, if you need me, don’t hesitate to call me,” Daruk insisted. 

  
“And you as well, Daruk.” Mipha smiled softly and turned back to the rippling water. The sound of footsteps grew increasingly quiet as he moved toward a solitary enemy in the distance.

  
This left Mipha alone by the pool. She took in her surroundings and stared at her reflection in the pool. “I haven’t done a single thing to be of help,” she muttered quietly. “Not really. The club is unnatural in my hand, so I can’t fight. Why am I here? Clearly, the others are important enough to warrant this attention.” 

  
Her thoughts were interrupted as a shout from Daruk filled the air. She moved the fish away from the riverbank and ran to him. A bokoblin with a spear stood in front of him, as well as one with a bow. They hissed and clattered as they moved forward. A group of the undead was walking among the living. 

  
In a moment of panic, Mipha hurled the boko club she had at the spear bokoblin’s skull. The foe vanished, leaving only the weapon behind. 

  
Daruk used Mipha’s appearance to his advantage and swung the axe forward, barely missing the head but cutting the skull from his body. The skull bounced angrily clattering its bones as it tried to reform. Daruk didn’t miss his swing the next time and brought it directly onto the bokoblin’s head. Both bodies vanished, leaving behind the weapons and a horn.

  
“Whew. I probably had that, but thank you for coming! They snuck up on me.” He stared at the weapons on the ground. “But now we’ve got more weapons. Is there anything you’ve got your eye on?”

  
Mipha reached out to the spear. Though it didn’t quite feel right to her, it felt good enough for the moment. “Yes, I believe I’ve found my weapon.”

  
Daruk grinned. “That’s great! You know, you were amazing with handling that monster!” He scratched his head. “I guess I didn’t think that there’d be enemies like these. It might be a good idea if we head back soon.”

  
Mipha set the spear on her back and slowly moved back to the river. “At the very least, we shouldn’t go off alone in the meantime. Give me a moment to gather these fish and we’ll make our way back.”

  
“You got it! I can go ahead and look for a meal for myself in the meanwhile.” 

  
Mipha and Daruk got to work on their tasks, only occasionally having to take a break to fight enemies. Once their business was concluded, they made their way back to the campfire.

* * *

  
A single arrow- a single shot. A magnificent shade of blue hung around the branches of a tree, old, gnarled, and long. A boar peeked its head through the trees, but Revali didn’t want boar that day. Though the beast would be easily felled, he kept looking. 

  
Revali took to the skies and scanned his surroundings. From his vantage point, he could see a large clearing with a large boulder, a bokoblin camp, and smoke from another campfire. The rito touched down on a young tree and looked around for a more detailed look.

  
The fire was going strong as if someone had just been there. Revali mentally figured the mystery person to be King Rhoam and moved on. Near the base of a large tree, fluorescent, blue mushrooms grew proudly. Silent shrooms, his brain supplied. Safe to eat, even better to cook. He dove from his perch and stuck some particularly large mushrooms in a brown, burlap bag pinched from a nearby bokoblin camp.

  
From a distance away, he saw more mushrooms. They were bright green but didn’t glow, unlike the silent shrooms. He tiptoed towards them, silently moving through the grass like a beast would stalk its prey. 

  
“Stamella mushrooms,” he said quietly. “Perhaps this meal won’t be nearly as bland as I thought.” He plucked a few shrooms from off the ground and placed them into his bag. Revali flew back into the air and scanned the clearing from the sky. “Seems like a trap, so I shouldn’t linger. There’s honey. Perhaps I may be able to grab it.” Revali touched down at the edge of the clearing, making sure not to step into the actual clearing itself. He launched an arrow at the hive and quickly dove after it. He soared back into the air as he placed the honey in his bag. “What now? 

  
Revali stood on a tree, taking in his surroundings once again. Then, he saw it. Down by a broken arch, a tiny, white bird pecked at the ground.

  
Revali smirked, then moved back into the air. He aimed carefully and masterfully. With one arrow, the bird was felled and dinner was saved. 

  
At least for Revali, that is. He flew down to collect the bird and began to remove the feathers and to clean the bird for later. The darkening forest unnerved the rito, so he moved to the campfire. “What a day,” he muttered. 

  
The arrow had torn through much of the top part of the bird, leaving little of the breast meat intact. “I’m getting sloppy.” Revali studied his bow, scoffing at the weight at the craftsmanship. “This thing isn’t great. I’ll have to get another bow. First, we need to leave this land.” With a sigh, he turned his attention to the forest’s edge, though he couldn’t see much through the trees. “So, we failed last time. Were we close, or…?”

  
Revali stopped as he lost himself in his thoughts. Echoed words, muffled by time rang through his skull. Was it his own voice? Or was it someone else? He had a headache. 

  
His resolve faltered, but he continued his task of mindlessly plucking feathers from the bird.and cleaning it. Once the task was done, Revali wrapped the meat in a large korok leaf and placed it in his bag. He wandered from the forest wordlessly, making his way back to the campfire.

* * *

  
Urbosa stared into the crackling campfire. It was a beautiful sight, The soft glow helped to protect her from the dark corners of the shadows. Something could hide in the trees, though she didn’t know what she was so tense about. She just knew there was something in the world that used shadows and manipulation to hurt people.

  
She thought of them as cowards, but dangerous ones. 

  
An apple fell by her arm. Someone was there. “Sav’saaba.” She chuckled. “Wish to join in, King Rhoam?”

  
Rhoam laughed. “I suppose I couldn’t hide from you. No, it’s alright, but I did want to teach you some recipes that could be useful, as well as pick your brain for help with my own recipe.” He set a cast-iron cooking pot on the campfire. “Pots like these may be scattered around the land. You can add your ingredients to them and cook from them. It’s quite important to keep a note of where some are.”

  
Urbosa nodded. “Yes, I understand.”

  
Rhoam poured water into the pot, waited for the water to heat up, then added some sliced apples. A watchful eye was kept as the fruit cooked as he moved the pot occasionally. “Simmering fruit allows it to become sweeter, though water isn’t known for its flavor. If you have sugar or syrup, it would be better to use that. Honey also helps.” He removed the apples from the pot with a ladle and moved them into a wooden bowl. He stuck a fork in the bowl and passed it off to Urbosa. “I can wash this, but feel free to help yourself.”

  
She obliged. Urbosa poked one of the slices with the fork and brought it to her mouth. Though a little plain, it was softer and it tastes sweeter than before. “It does taste better than just an apple by itself,” she confirmed.

  
Rhoam chuckled. “Yes, but that isn’t all. I’ve found that a good meal like this helps you recover from a hard battle. Though with your skill, I trust that meals won’t be used to heal as often.” He looked forlornly at the forest. “There are many ingredients to be found in Hyrule, each with their own properties. Though my favorite would have to be the Silent Princess.” His voice trailed off as he spoke, finishing the sentence with a murmur. 

  
“There are four of us, I’m sure we will use these cooking pots often.” Urbosa smiled. “Thank you for explaining them. Are you sure you don’t wish to join us, at least to have company?”

  
The King looked conflicted but shook his head. “Nay. I do not wish to intrude. You four are bound to spend nearly the entire journey together. You should eat together and try to get to know one another as best you can.” He lifted the pot up and moved down the hill. “I’ll bring this back in a bit. It should be washed before I attempt to cook a meal with meat.”

  
The King retreated down the hill, toward the direction Daruk and Mipha went. It left Urbosa alone again. 

  
She held an apple to the flames and watched as the skin slowly began to cook. Her mind began to wander once more. “So,” she said aloud, quietly speaking to the shadows around her. “What do I know? My name is Urbosa.” She nodded to herself, then continued. “There are phrases in my head that are natural to me, ones that I have never heard the others say. I should have been killed in battle 100 years ago, but I did not. Nor did anyone else in this group.” She thought back to the voice that echoed through her head earlier that day. It was familiar and made her think of the sky. 

  
A little bird.

  
Urbosa took the apple she baked and set it on the ground. “I know that many of my memories have been locked away, same with my allies. Now, what do I not know?” She leaned back and looked up at the sky. “Why were we chosen for this? What role do we play in the things to come?” She sighed. “Furthermore, by Rhoam’s actions and his speech, as well as based on the shrines themselves, I have to infer that someone important did die in that battle. Can we do anything at this point?”

  
Rhoam appeared once more from the bottom of the hill. He chuckled softly as he carried the pot and some ingredients to the flames. “I would like your assistance if you would. I’ve been here for a century, and in that time I have forgotten components of a meal I enjoyed.” He set the pot down, removed the ingredients, and spread them out on the ground.

  
Though she was unclear on some of the ingredients, most of them seemed explanatory. There were three peppers and a hunk of boar meat. Additionally, there were a few knives, a fork, a spoon, and a plate.“Chalk it up to my age or how long I’ve been here, but I had this dish I used to like a long time ago. For the life of me, I cannot figure out what it was. It was spicy meat and something fry.” He sighed. “I remember that the other thing in the dish was a kind of meat. White meat. I believe. And it was salty.”

  
“I believe that sounds like bass,” Mipha chimed in. Rhoam and Urbosa looked at the pair as they made their way up the hill, weapons, and fish in hand. “They’re plentiful just down the hill.”

  
Rhoam laughed. “Ah. It would seem you’re right, and Hylian bass seems correct. Shall I teach you how to cook it?”

  
Mipha handed a bass to Rhoam. He set it on a stump and carefully carved a fillet from one of the sides with a curved knife. Rhoam set the knife down and placed the pot on the fire. With a different knife, he began to cut the peppers into rings and set them on the side. 

  
“It should be hot enough. Typically you would put oil in the pan, possibly butter, but we don’t have any. We’ll just have to hope that it doesn’t burn,” he said with a laugh. He slid the peppers in and began to stir them around. The fumes wafted into the air, prompting a few coughs from Urbosa, Daruk, Mipha, and Revali, who had quietly crept back unannounced. 

  
“Oh, Nayru! The smell,” Mipha griped. “Is this typical?”

  
“Unfortunately, yes,” Revali grumbled. “I have a feeling that it is.”

  
Rhoam laughed once more and slid the boar meat into the pot. “Peppers have that effect on people. I don’t have that problem anymore, though it would assail my nose all the same when I was alive” He grabbed a wooden fork and flipped the meat over. “You want to make sure that the surface is brown on both sides. The meat itself is pretty thick, so you may want to keep it in the pan longer than that, however.”

  
They watched as the former king cooked the meat, adding the fish in partway through without the skin. Their stomachs rumbled. He used a spoon to bring the food onto a plate, then handed it off to the champions. “I do hope you enjoy. And I hope my little demonstration helped to inspire you. There are many ingredients throughout Hyrule that go well together. And I thank you once more for helping me to figure the recipe out. If you visit my cabin tomorrow, I will have a gift for you to help with the chill.”

  
King Rhoam smiled as he set the pot down once more. Then he faded from sight, leaving the four of them alone once more.

  
Revali coughed. “So, I did manage to find something in those woods.” He removed his spoils from his bag and set them on the stump. “Fish is alright, but I decided to grab some poultry while I was there.”

  
Urbosa nodded. “And I see the mushrooms too. And honey?” She smiled. “That’s a pretty sizable haul.”

  
“Wow, your food is pretty different from mine,” Daruk noted. “I’m willing to share though!” He lifted a rock from off the ground and presented it to the group. “These kinds are full of nutrients, although they are a bit bland.”

  
“Ah-no. That’s alright. We have plenty enough as it is.” Mipha giggled as she covered her mouth with her hand. “I’m not sure that we will be able to finish all this.”

  
Daruk studied the ingredients, then his own. He raised his hand to his chin and stroked his hair. “That’s true. Maybe another time then.”

  
“Alright, now that we’re done with that question, we should start cooking,” Revali said with a frown.

  
“I can keep watch while you cook. I’ve got my meal already. Mipha and I saw some strange enemies while we were near the river and they emerge from the ground. It would be bad if they attacked and nobody was prepared,” Daruk insisted with a grin. Though his voice commanded authority.

  
“Yes. I do feel that shifts are a good idea, though are you sure you’re fine alone, Daruk?” Mipha asked, staring at him with concern.

  
“Don’t worry about this old crag. I’ll be fine. They won’t surprise me again.”

  
“If you’re ok with that, I have no objections. I’ll come to relieve you in a little while,” Urbosa said. “Once we’re finished cooking.”

  
Daruk flashed the group another grin and left down the hill once more, rocks in tow. 

  
“I do hope he’ll be alright,” Mipha muttered.

  
Urbosa smiled softly, rubbing Mipha’s back. “I’m sure he will. Now, let’s see how well we all can cook.”

  
Each person stepped to the pot, each with a varying degree of confidence, Revali having the most while Mipha had the least. They handpicked their ingredients and got started on their meal preparation.

  
Urbosa was up at the pot first with a Hyrule bass and two silent shrooms. She cut the meat of the bass and the mushrooms into cubes and stuck them onto a skewer with the mushrooms. Despite having the pot, she didn’t use it. She removed it from the flames and held the skewer above the open flame. The edges of the mushrooms and the meat darkened, eventually charing from the flame slightly. She transferred each skewer to a korok leaf.

  
She took it off the heat and continued to make and cook the skewers until she was out of ingredients. Each skewer had their own varying degree of color to them, but she was happy with them.

  
Next up was Mipha. She nervously brought the bass to the fire and cooked it until the skin was charred. Her fish was attached to a large stick

  
Finally, Revali sauntered up to the cooking pot. He put in his poultry legs into the pot and seared it. Once the sides were brown, he covered the pot with the leave he used to carry the bird in. The smirk on his face didn’t change, no matter what the step was in the cooking process. He lifted the leaf and added cut stamella shrooms to the mix. Once liquid from the mushrooms began to pool at the bottom, he added some chopped Hyrule herb and honey to the pot. 

  
He stirred the mix and covered the poultry and mushrooms in the honey glaze. Once he was finished cooking, he transferred the mix onto a plate.

  
“Whoa,” Mipha gasped. 

  
“I would assume that cooking is something you have experience with,” Urbosa said with a smile. “Before we get into our dishes, I do feel that we need to try what Rhoam made.”

  
Mipha nodded. “I am rather curious.”

  
Each of them grabbed a fork and took bites of different parts of the food. Though spicy, the flavor was good. The game-like boar paired well with the salty nature of the bass with a kick of spice to enhance the dish. Though the peppers had a distinctly fruity undertone. 

  
Though good, each of them didn’t dare to take another bite as to not fill up on a different dish.

  
“I’m going to go switch with Daruk now. Wouldn’t want him to be alone out there,” Urbosa said, rising from her seat at the campfire. She took a plate and some skewers. “If you need anything, I’ll be down the hill.”

  
“I won’t, but thank you for the concern,” Revali said with a smirk.

  
Urbosa chuckled. “Sure. Enjoy your meal.” She began to walk slowly down the hill. 

  
“You as well,” Mipha called. 

* * *

  
Daruk walked down the hill and sat on the ground. His makeshift weapon laid next to him as he began to eat. The stars offered light among the dark sky.

  
It was a beautiful night, but he couldn’t help but think that they were missing something, missing someone. Daruk racked his brain for answers. 

  
“There’s that girl in our heads. She’s important. Me, Mipha, Urbosa, and Revali. But there’s someone else too.” Daruk closed his eyes and bit into his food. “Someone. Someone, someone, someone. What do they look like?”

  
He searched and searched through his memories but the further he tried, the more his stomach turned. They were lost to him, like dust in the wind. 

  
He finished his meal quickly, then stood up and scanned his surroundings. He needed to do something, anything. He needed to remember that person. Even just their hair would do.

  
He heard the clacking of bones behind him and swiftly turned around. Two skeleton bokoblins hissed at Daruk with wooden clubs raised in the air. Though he was quick to turn, the enemies were quicker on the attack. They swung down as Daruk braced for impact. 

  
The impact never came. A red shield formed around the Goron, causing the weapons to bounce off pitifully, though a loud cracking noise filled the air. It was his turn now. Daruk grabbed his axe and swung to knock them off balance, then brought the axe down on their skulls. They quick;y faded to dust, leaving their weapons and monster horns behind.

  
Daruk wiped the sweat from his brow. “Whew/ That could have been bad. But seems like I have one of those abilities too. I’ll have to let the others know later.” He continued his lookout until Urbosa came to relieve him as she said she would. She had her weapon by her side and a plate of fish and mushrooms in her hands. Though a little charred, she seemed to be enjoying it.

  
“I can take over now,” she insisted as she stuck the fork in her mouth. 

  
Daruk nodded. “I’ll stick around a little bit longer. Just until you’re finished eating.”

  
Urbosa acknowledged Daruk with a nod. 

  
Although the two of them were there, neither spoke. The surrounding area remained tranquil. Their view of the world around them plunged both of them back into their heads. No matter where Daruk tried to look, he couldn’t stop staring at the castle.   
  
  
The swirling black and purple monster that circled the castle was a blemish on the otherwise beautiful landscape. When he wasn’t looking at the monster that nearly ended his life, his sights were set on the volcano, far in the distance. He felt homesick just looking at it. And now with the excuse of being in a group, Daruk no longer could bury himself in single-mindedly looking out for monsters. 

  
A quick look at Urbosa’s face told the same story. She hadn’t eaten all of her food, but it had been set to the side as she stared at the castle. 

  
“I’ll go ahead and head back up,” Daruk said with a laugh. “I’ll check up on the other two and keep them safe.”

  
“I think they can keep themselves safe, though I’m sure another person wouldn’t hurt matters,” Urbosa’s eyes remained fixed on the castle. 

  
“That’s true. I’ll send the bird down in a little while. He can take over then.”

  
Urbosa nodded. “Alright. Thank you.”

  
Daruk took one final look at the volcano, then walked back up to his other friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter could also be called, "Author uses her knowledge of cooking to her advantage and rewrites the BotW cooking system." 
> 
> I also wanted just a calm night before they all had to go searching for shrines in the cold and fighting a guardian and bokoblins as well. This is the calm(ish) chapter before they explore.
> 
> But when they aren't exploring the wild, they're exploring their memories and feelings of inadequacy. :(
> 
> Aaaanyway, thank you so much for reading! Next chapter should be out by the end of November. I feel like I can probably get a chapter out before them though because of how many things are likely to be in that chapter. I say "should be" because two games I'm excited for and an election are in November. 
> 
> Bye guys!!!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! I uh... I'm really excited for the new HW game. But, believe it or not, I was working on an outline document for this thing before the announcement. 
> 
> So that was cool.
> 
> As for all the characters, I'm trying my best with characterization. I'm currently playing it now to look over all the cutscenes but there's not a whole lot to work with, so expect a few headcanons. I've still got a little bit of research to do, but I'll try to get a chapter out every month at the least. I've never been good at scheduling, but I do have the outline document.
> 
> While this is unbeta'd, I am looking through it to try and edit it more than I normally did. Feel free to let me know if I get something wrong. Chances are, I'll change some stuff around to fit the information better.
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much for reading this! It means a lot to me!
> 
> Feel free to talk to me on Twitter! I need to post more than I do though.
> 
> https://twitter.com/emerald_onix


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